While it’s imperative to be properly equipped during the conversation in question, it’s almost just as important to be properly prepared – mentally and emotionally – before entering into any negotiation setting.

No matter what stage of the business-building phase your company is in, whether it’s a startup or an established enterprise looking to expand, it’s imperative that you deploy the best practices to get the most out of your time.

Conflict resolution is one of the more critical responsibilities of managers in virtually every business, as rifts created between employees or departments can have significantly negative consequences before long, and will no doubt intensify when not aggressively approached by leaders.

Of the many skills that today’s leadership-level staff members need to have in their toolkit, negotiation, conflict resolution and influence are likely among the most critical, especially given the speed with which the workforce is evolving.